JP2000097436A - Kitchen electric appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a kitchen electric appliance such as a microwave oven constituted of a chamber for cooking a food placed therein and a door for closing the chamber. SOLUTION: This kitchen electric appliance includes a communication means 28 for making a connection with a communication network and a user of the kitchen electric appliance can execute home-banking processing, home-shopping processing and electronic mailing processing. A door has a built-in user interface 32 like a touch screen for receiving a message for transmission to a remote facility. The user interface 32 is also used for displaying a television broadcast.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a data control and communication device for use in a home environment, such as for managing and communicating data between a home environment and selected remote equipment. The present invention relates to a communication control device for a configured kitchen appliance.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many daily activities, such as personal financial transactions and shopping, are likely to make electronic data transfer and related service providers among consumers at home more and more frequently used. Have been.
Telephone banking is already very popular, and many banks now offer consumers the option of online home banking over the Internet. Large supermarkets and department stores provide home delivery services, in which consumers
You order a particular product, such as food, over the telephone or the Internet, and the ordered product is delivered to the consumer's home. Payment is typically made by presenting a credit / debit card or store card when placing an order.

[0003]

At present, the provision of online services over the Internet is usually available only to consumers who have access to a personal computer connected to the Internet. However, many consumers do not have access to personal computers in their home environment or are reluctant to use such services. Because he is not used to handling computers. Even in homes where consumers have access to personal computers, computers are rarely placed in the most convenient home environment for use in conducting daily household activities such as online shopping. Absent.

One object of the present invention is to provide a data management and communication system in which a data management and communication system is conveniently housed, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to operate. To provide electrical appliances.

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a chamber in which food items can be placed for processing or storage, and a chamber for closing the chamber, for transmitting to a remote facility. And a door incorporating a user interface for receiving a message.

The present invention is convenient in that consumers can easily access a communication network in their daily home environment without using a personal computer connected to the Internet. It is. Since the system is provided with kitchen appliances, it is particularly cost-effective and convenient to use.

[0007]

In a preferred embodiment, the input means includes means for inputting data relating to the selected household necessities, and the communication means transmits the input data to the terminal. Transfer means for transferring to a remote management unit configured to manage the procurement of the selected household necessities. The remote management unit,
Preferably, it is possible to manage the ordering and collection of the selected household necessities from the selected retailer, and the delivery of the household necessities to the designated location. Therefore,
Online shopping facilities are easily accessible, and the system is conveniently located in the home environment, allowing easy and convenient control of interactive management of online shopping for household necessities.

[0008] The remote management unit may provide the cost of the selected household commodities to the device from one or more designated retailers before the selected household commodities are ordered from the selected retailer. And / or communicate data about availability.
In this way, the user can check whether the necessary supplies are available from a particular merchant before placing an order, and reduce the cost of the necessary supplies from several retailers. Can be compared.

Conveniently, the transfer means is configured to transfer a payment instruction relating to the acquisition of household necessities.

[0010] The transfer means may be arranged to record data on household necessities for a period of time before transferring to the remote management unit. By doing so, the user can enter the data about household necessities, when the product was consumed, and when he noticed the need for the specific necessities, to provide a "shopping List "can be edited. Thereafter, the user can, if necessary, transfer the input data to the remote management unit.

The data entry means often includes a bar code reader for reading bar codes associated with household necessities, such as bar codes displayed on packaging for large household products. Can be. With this device,
It becomes easy to input data on the product on which the barcode is displayed. Alternatively, or in the alternative, the input means may include a voice input system so that a user can input data into the system by voice. This voice input system is particularly useful when barcodes are not available and also facilitates the entry of general data into the system.

[0012] Preferably, the system is built into a household device. The incorporation of new technologies creates entirely new home appliances that feature additional features that are not appealing to today's home appliances and are appealing to many consumers.

[0013] The communication means may be configured to transfer data from the remote information site to the system. By doing so, the necessary information, such as a cooking recipe containing one or more ingredients, can be easily downloaded to the device via the Internet.

[0014] Preferably, the communication means comprises an e-mail facility so that the home appliance can send and receive e-mail messages. The communication means may also include a home banking facility so that the user can perform personal financial transactions from his home environment.

Conveniently, the device may be, for example,
Includes cookware such as microwave ovens. Microwave ovens are particularly advantageous because their structure, their function and their size are suitable for use according to the invention in a domestic environment.

Among the known systems are voice recognition, for example, as a multifunction with built-in Internet access, the ability to identify household necessities, data and command input methods, and the main features of ordinary household appliances. No one yet has the physical hardware capability to perform a variety of functions. The present invention also provides users with access online shopping facilities and home banking facilities in addition to other web-based information in a home environment without the need for a personal computer connected to the Internet. I do.

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are by way of example only.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, which is a simplified plan view of a microwave oven that can provide the advantages of the present invention. Currently, microwave ovens are a household appliance commonly used in many homes and have a structure and size particularly suitable for use in accordance with the present invention.

The microwave oven 10 of FIG. 1 (a) includes a data processing area 12 located at the rear of the oven, a common central oven area 14 for storing food for cooking, and a user interface area at the front of the oven. 16 is provided.

The data processing unit 12 is connected to a video board 20 and an audio board 22, and further comprises:
It comprises a central processing unit 18 connected to a SCSI interface 24 and, if necessary, an antenna 26 or other suitable signal input for receiving television broadcast signals. The elements of the data processing unit 12 advantageously provide not only the control and operation necessary for standard microwave functions, but also the control and processing of data generated for various home and personal activities described below. Is advantageously configured.

Oven 10, in accordance with a particularly advantageous feature of the present invention, is also provided by main power supply unit 28 to provide a communication channel for accessing the Internet for communicating with and from the home environment. It is configured to receive operating power. Of course, it will be appreciated that, alternatively, a dedicated modem telephone line could allow the data processing unit 12 of the microwave oven 10 to access the Internet. However, since household appliances commonly used in connection with the present invention are in any case connected to the mains power supply, to date the most advantageous means for making a connection to the Internet is the oven 10 This is the connection made through the main power supply of such a device.

In addition, the connection to the Internet in cooperation with appropriate software downloaded to the central processing unit 18 allows the system to be equipped with e-mail facilities,
It can have electronic banking facilities and electronic shopping facilities, which will be described in more detail below.

The data processing unit 12 also downloads appropriate software so that the system can have an electronic personal organizer with a diary, calendar, clock and various spreadsheets.

FIG. 1 (b) is a more detailed drawing of the general structure of the user interface 16 of the oven 10. The oven 10 includes a door for the oven, as is usually the case with household items. The door is
For hermetic access to the interior chamber of the oven 14, and as described below, it functions as part of the user interface 16.

This door has a plastic mount 3
4 includes a liquid crystal display touch screen 32 which is protected from radiation generated within the microwave oven 14 by a standard electromagnetic radiation protection screen 36 extending in a plane parallel to itself. Have been.

The touch screen 32 can be used for both data entry into the system and display of appropriate information to the user. Touch screen 32
Is controlled by the elements of the data processing unit 12.

A bar code reader 38 is similarly located on the user interface area 16 for reading the product identification bar code typically displayed on food and other household product packaging. It should be understood that household product items also include food products such as packaged meat introduced into an oven for cooking, or other products such as detergents, canned food products, and the like.

The user interface 16 is also part of a voice input device that can be used to input data into the system in cooperation with appropriate voice identification software downloaded to the data processing unit 12 of the oven 10. Is provided. This is particularly useful when the product packaging does not include a bar code for product identification, or, in many cases, to enter data about unpackaged fruit, vegetable or meat products. Therefore, barcode reader 3
Item identification data and command execution entered through 8 can be easily enhanced with additional data generated by the voice of the user of the system.

It will be appreciated that other forms of data entry means, such as suitable reading means for reading data, for example from a smart tag associated with a product item, can easily be incorporated into the device according to the invention. I want to be.

Therefore, the user interface 16
Provide a common interface whereby the user of the system selects the data control and communication equipment and general cooking functions of the oven 10 with which it is associated,
You will understand that you can access and interact. Conveniently, the touch screen 32 is configured as a graphical user interface to allow easy access and selection of appropriate functions provided by Internet tools, such as a standard web browser. Icons to allow quick and easy access to commonly occurring functions associated with the system's email, electronic banking, and electronic shopping and personal organizer facilities. It has a toolbar as a base. Thus, the touch screen 32 provides the user with not only for the general cooking functions of the oven 10 but also for the control and management of data and the Internet access achieved by the oven 10 with the system of the present invention. Provide a user interface.

The Internet connection made by the system associated with the oven 10 can be used from any suitable site on the Internet, if necessary, in cooperation with the appropriate software downloaded to the central processing unit 18. The selected information to the home environment can be accessed and used to download it. For example, a recipe for a particular food item identified by a barcode scanner or other suitable input means can be easily downloaded and displayed on the touch screen 32. In addition, advice on cooking the product, as well as diet information such as the caloric content and fat content of the food, can likewise be downloaded and immediately displayed on the touch screen 32, and the consumer can Can be easily accessed.

A typical scenario in which the advantages of the present invention can be best demonstrated is described below.

In daily household life, or when the user notices that a particular item will soon need to be replaced, the household product is consumed and the bar code identification on the packaging of the product indicates the front of the oven 10. Is scanned by a barcode reader 38 located at the site, so that data about the item is input to the data control system. In one example, prior to placing the product to be cooked inside the oven, the user may enter data regarding the food to be cooked in oven 10 so that the next serving was made. At the same time, the consumed product can be reliably replaced.

[0034] Alternatively, the user may use the microphone 40 or a keyboard located on the touch screen 32 on the oven door.
By inputting the product information, it is also possible to input data on items to be exchanged or ordered by voice. This may be the case if the product packaging is not labeled with a bar code, or if the consumable item is often a product such as a fruit, vegetable or meat product that has not been previously packaged, or if the data is Perhaps especially useful if it is a new item that you order for the first time or only once, or if it relates to an item that has been used but has not yet been entered into the system.

The software of the data processing unit 12 associated with the bar code reader 38 and the audio or text input facilities of the system serve to identify the particular product presented. This information is then used to create an appropriate order for the product.

According to any particular function or requirement, data for identifying a list of food or other household products to be supplemented can be entered into the system, for example, on a weekly or daily basis; It can be easily stored in the data processing unit 12 of the oven 10. If the user wishes to place an order, the appropriate icons on the toolbar of the touch screen 2 and the list stored in the data processing unit 12 with the associated stored data are displayed:
Through Internet access, it is transmitted to a remote facility, such as remote management system 42. In another way,
If a predetermined time has elapsed, the stored data is automatically transmitted to the remote management unit 42 or to remind the user that these essentials have not been ordered yet,
It should be understood that an appropriate message will be displayed on the touch screen 32 if the predetermined time has elapsed.

It should be understood that when data is entered into the system, the data associated with each necessity entry into the system can be transmitted over the Internet.
This information is then collected at the remote management unit 42 and verified.

The user is prompted to specify the merchant to whom the order will be placed and where the order will be sent. This data can be entered by selecting the appropriate icon on the toolbar of the touch screen or by other input means. Payment for the ordered product is made by entering a credit / debit card or other card through any data entry means of the system. Alternatively, payment can be made using an electronic banking facility. in this case,
The user sends money online from his account to the merchant account he ordered. It should be understood that the merchant, delivery location, and payment details required to place each order can be stored in central processing unit 18 for ease of processing.

Remote management unit 42 completes the ordering and collection of household necessities ordered from a particular retailer at a remote storage location, and then delivers the goods to a user-specified location such as home. Make arrangements to do so.

Data can be entered into the system for other items that have not yet been consumed but will need to be replaced in the near future, in which case data for other items that are needed only in certain cases are also entered. But
It should be understood that certain items already in stock in the household will not be replaced.

In another advantageous embodiment of the invention,
The user may request information over the Internet about the availability of the various household supplies on order and / or to obtain the order from a designated retailer, and request information from several remote management units. At 42, an order can be placed at the same time. Thereafter, the requested information is transmitted to each remote management unit 42 via the Internet.
Is sent to the user and displayed on the touch screen 32. The user can then compare the information from each remote management unit before deciding which merchant to order. The user then selects a merchant based on the information and sends a request to the appropriate remote management unit 42 to complete the order.

Based on the information received from remote management unit 42, the user can decide to split the order to obtain different supplies from different merchants. In this example, the user deletes the necessities ordered from a particular merchant and returns the appropriate remote management unit 42
Modify the order by sending the modified order to.

It should be understood that one remote management unit functions to complete the ordering, collection and delivery of household supplies ordered from a plurality of designated retailers.

In place of the communication channel provided by the power supply, a modem and a telephone, or any other means of data communication, can be used.

In any case, when data regarding the selection of household necessities is entered into the system, a record that such items are in short supply, or a record that such items are ordered, is stored in the device. Is readily available at the appropriate storage / warehouse location, so that the exchange of inventory for those items can be easily initiated.

In addition to electronic shopping facilities, the present invention provides:
Including electronic banking facilities. If the user wishes to use this facility, the appropriate icon is selected on the touch screen on the user interface 16. You will be prompted to enter your authentication data,
Next, a series of options are displayed on the touch screen 32 relating to the various facilities available to the user. The user is then prompted to select the required options and enter details about the process.
Once the user has entered all the information necessary to perform the above process, the details of the authentication process are sent over the Internet to the appropriate remote management unit 42 where the authentication data is verified and valid. Deals with the details of the transaction. Electronic banking equipment, payment processing,
It can be used to request orders, balance sheets or balances, such as checks, traveler's checks, bank drafts and the like. Since the electronic banking equipment is well known, a detailed description is omitted.

An e-mail facility is also provided so that e-mail messages can be sent and received. If the user wants to use this equipment, touch
The appropriate icon on the screen toolbar is selected and the central processing unit 18 displays the appropriate information. The user can open the received mail and enter data to compose a mail message with the keyboard on the touch screen 32 or with the microphone 40 on the user interface 16. The message can then be sent over the Internet to the required recipients. Since the above e-mail facility is well known, detailed description is omitted.

A personal organizer facility is also provided.
Users can maintain required notes, such as diaries, birthdays, appointments, etc.
Maintain personal data of the program. Since the components and operation of the above system are well known, detailed description will be omitted.

A television and radio equipment are also provided.

Referring to FIG. 2, this is a block diagram of a complete device in which the devices associated with the system of the present invention are used. In this embodiment, the microwave oven 10 of FIG. 1 operates as a server for a local area network (LAN) installed in a home, and connects another home device 44 in a normal home. Nodes can be included. Connection to the Internet is provided by a power supply 28, which allows access to remote locations, such as a bank and retail location 42, which provide consumers with relevant information. Not only to configure, but also to enter an order for items by entering data into the system, and to configure for a suitable inventory / order system such as that provided by online analysis processing (OLAP) or online transaction processing (OLTP). And may include a database or data warehouse connected to the network.

Of course, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the detailed description of the above embodiments. For example, the associated device need not be a microwave oven, but is commonly found in homes at present, so that consumers can identify products that need replenishment or other products that will be needed in the near future. There may be some other kitchen appliances, such as ordinary ovens, refrigerators and / or freezers or dishwashers where the identification can be easily recorded. Thereafter, the information can be easily transferred to a suitable product order management system.

The present invention has the advantage that the related home appliances can usually be built into a specific home environment, ie the kitchen, and the functions of the home appliances above the oven can be extended. Also, the present invention is much more user friendly when compared to current devices that allow Internet access, and can be easily read and interacted in the environment where the device is typically used. , A user interface can be easily provided.

As can be appreciated from the following description, the present invention allows the use of the Internet for simple electronic banking or electronic shopping without the need for a dedicated modem or telephone connection. Can be safely and advantageously accessed. Also, inside it, the system is related,
Or, a self-contained household device can easily perform its main household function, for example, cooking food, while easily and easily reordering any household consumer item This is advantageous because the system,
It also provides other functions that are appropriate or otherwise necessary and related to the location of the device with which it is associated in the home environment, such as, for example, receiving and displaying television broadcasts on the touch screen 32. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view of a microwave oven and a door of the microwave oven according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a complete management system using the device according to the invention.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Stephen J. Emmot England SE1 9L J London Hopton Street 65 Millennium Tower 103 (72) Inventor Sarah Woods England SW1W 8 QR London Gatrif Road Grosvenor Dock Clipperke

Claims (5)

[Claims] A built-in chamber for processing or storing food items and a user interface for closing the chamber for receiving a message for transmission to a remote facility. A kitchen appliance (10), comprising: a door. 2. The user interface (32).
The kitchen appliance of claim 1, wherein the device receives a command for operation of the kitchen appliance. 3. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen (32). 4. The kitchen appliance of claim 3, wherein the kitchen appliance is configured to receive a television broadcast displayed on the touch screen (32). . 5. Communication means (28) for connecting said kitchen appliance to a communication network for performing one or more of a home banking operation, a home shopping operation and an e-mail operation. The kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: